Jailed singer Sean Levert dies

Levert had pleaded guilty to non-payment of child maintenance

US R&B star Sean Levert - one third of 1980s trio LeVert - has died at the age of 39 after falling ill in jail in Cleveland, Ohio.

Levert, the son of O'Jays vocalist Eddie Levert, was sentenced last week to one year and 10 months in prison for failing to pay child maintenance.

A coroner's spokesman said an autopsy was inconclusive, but added that foul play had been ruled out.

Grammy-nominated band LeVert had a UK top 10 hit with Casanova.

Levert died at Lutheran Hospital on Sunday, less than an hour after he was taken there from jail.

The coroner's spokesman said that Levert suffered from high blood pressure and had been hallucinating in jail.

Toxicology reports could take four to six weeks, he added.

'No indication'

Jail warden Kevin McDonough said that Levert had been sick and guards monitored him because he was acting strangely.

Levert had pleaded guilty to failing to pay $89,025 (£45,085) in child support payments.

He was sentenced by Judge Nancy Margaret Russo who said on Monday that he had given no indication of any health problems.

She said court reports indicated he had been addicted to marijuana from the age of 14 until recently.

His brother Gerald, a fellow member of LeVert, died in 2006 after taking prescription drugs.

The official cause of death was acute intoxication and ruled to be accidental.

Sean and Gerald Levert formed their band LeVert in 1986 with childhood friend Marc Gordon.

The trio had two gold albums in the US in 1987 and 1988.

Gerald Levert went on pursue a career as a solo artist, working with soul legends such as Anita Baker, Barry White and Patti LaBelle.